Woman on pre-trial release arrested in Elkton drug case

Investigators identified the suspect as Gracie Irene Moten, 47, of Elkton.

CCSO deputies stopped a silver Nissan Versa driven by Moten at approximately 1:30 a.m. on Thursday near the intersection of Elkton Boulevard and Bow Street because one of headlights on her car was not functioning and because one of the vehicle’s turn signals was not operating, police said.

During their interaction with Moten, deputies developed probable cause to search her car, police added.

Investigators confiscated 163 baggies containing suspect heroin/fentanyl that had been parceled into 11 separate bundles, according to Lt. Michael Holmes, a CCSO spokesman.

In addition, investigators seized five grams of suspect methamphetamine, two grams of suspect cocaine, one gram of suspect crack cocaine, 37 suspect Xanax pills and a cell phone, Holmes reported.

During the investigation, CCSO deputies learned that Moten was free on an unspecified amount of bond in an unrelated drug case that hadn’t gone to trial yet, police said. They also learned that Moten was required to wear an ankle monitor as a condition of her pre-trial release from jail in that yet-to-be adjudicated criminal case, police added. Moten was wearing the ankle monitor when deputies made the traffic stop, police noted.

In that criminal case, Cecil County Circuit Court records indicate that Moten is facing four drug charges, including possession of a controlled and dangerous with intent to distribute, and that those counts relate to an Oct. 19 incident. Court records also show that Moten was free on bond, which she posted on March 15. Moten’s jury trial in that criminal case is scheduled to start Sept. 20 and is expected to last two days, according to court records.

As for her newest criminal case, the one relating to Thursday’s traffic stop, Moten is facing 13 charges, six of which are felonies, including possession of heroin mixed with fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to court records.

Moten remained in the Cecil County Detention Center on no bond Tuesday, four days after her bail review hearing, court records show.

The investigation leading to the confiscation of the suspect drugs and Moten’s arrest was funded with grant money allotted for the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN), a statewide program that Gov. Larry Hogan launched in 2017 to battle crime, police reported.